Cat's Play
by Hezpeller
Summary: Jade learns about Artemis' death, and decides to extract revenge. She joins Black Manta's ranks, and there she meets another new recruit...


**Yes, a new story, no, I'm not crazy...completely, and yes, I plan to update my other YJ stories!**

**Alright, so this is what happens when I start wondering how Jade would react to Artemis' death, and how she would try to extract revenge.**

**I don't know, I mused around and soon enough, this crazy story came out!**

**I hope everyone enjoys!**

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"This isn't going to end well."

"You're the one that married her!"

"I didn't exactly envision myself telling her that her little sister died!"

Dick sighed, leaning further back on the diner booth. The old plastic seat squeaked under the pressure, and he just closed his eyes, not knowing what to say.

It had been Wally's idea, since it would be unfair to not tell her own sister about Artemis' "death", and have her find out through another source. But they hadn't really thought it through, because, when it came down to it, no one wanted to be the actual messenger. No one knew how she'd react.

Roy on the other hand, was trying to piece everything together. Just a couple of weeks ago, he'd found his original, the real Roy Harper, and everything seemed to be settling down. He had a child, and Jade seemed to really want to focus on Lian, not on villainous deeds, or the thrill of that old life, and he didn't want anything to upset that seemingly delicate balance.

However, he didn't know how Jade would take this, and how this might destroy their life, and whether revenge would consume her, since she really seemed to be that kind of person. As much as she tried to hide it, anyone that asked the right questions and looked closely enough would notice that Jade did care for her little sister.

Roy's eyes wandered, to the old man reading the paper by the counter, sipping his coffee in the ceramic mug, and the linoleum floor that looked like it had been an original from the time diners were actually modern. The entire place had an aqua green tinge, and it made Roy cringe when he first entered. But Dick wanted to meet in secret, though the clone couldn't figure out how an ancient diner classified as more secret than say, the Wayne Manor, or the Watchtower. He wondered if maybe, they still didn't trust him, and thought he'd go rogue and attack them. It certainly did nothing to abate his feeling of gloom growing in the pit of his stomach.

The cook in the kitchen, named Bibbo, according to the sign outside, whistled to a merry tune playing on the whatchamacallit...Roy tried to remember what they were called, he had the name at the tip of his tongue...a jukebox! That was it. It was currently playing a song he had never heard, but it was probably a goodie, despite being an oldie.

Dick opened his eyes, feeling that Roy must've had enough time to digest the plan, and seeing Roy looking around, he cleared his throat. "So, are you gonna do it?"

"Do I have a choice?" Roy knew it was a rhetorical question. Paula Crock had passed away two years ago, and he was sure Sportsmaster wasn't going to make a housecall for that.

Dick frowned, no longer wearing his signature sunglasses, having no need to hide who he was to Roy. They were currently resting on the table, folded neatly, the lenses looking in Roy's direction, which made the clone feel like he was being watched by two people, instead of one. "You know the answer to that."

Roy's eyebrows narrowed, and with a scowl, he got up from his seat. Through gritted teeth, he muttered, "Then why ask?"

He grabbed his jacket, and left, hands clenched into fists, steps echoing until the slamming door cut them off.

Dick lowered his head onto his crossed arms resting on the table. He still wasn't used to being leader, having to take all the decisions, and no way of knowing if he was making a mistake.

==Star City

Roy arrived at the apartment he shared with Jade, rehearsing his speech. After his life went back to normal he, along with Jade, decided to clean up the place, and make it nice and tidy for them to raise Lian, so it was no longer the rundown and decaying place he was living in for the past 5 years or so. It actually looked nice, now that it was finished, so he often had a double-take when entering.

He closed the door behind him, dumping his jacket on the hanger, eyes closed, still trying to figure out all the possible scenarios that their conversation could lead, trying to have answers at the ready.

Jade came into the room, shaking her head, while a rare soft smile played across her features. "I finally got her to sleep, she was still very excited about the other Roy-" she watched as Roy hadn't turned around, still facing the hanger. "Alright, what happened?"

Roy didn't answer her, instead, he went to the kitchen, got a glass of water, making sure to fill the glass cup to the brim, and taking slow gulps from it.

"I'm waiting, Red." Jade hadn't moved, but she had crossed her arms, her green camisole wrinkling where her arms rested.

Roy put the empty cup in the sink, and collapsed on the discoloured blue sofa that they still had to replace. He leaned back, wishing he were anywhere but here.

Jade rolled her eyes, walking to where he was seated. "I'm starting to think you're pulling my leg-"

"She's dead." Roy blurted it out, all tactics flying out the window.

Jade did a doubletake. She just put Lian to sleep, so who was he talking about? Who died? She cleared her throat, wondering if maybe Roy was drunk, and voiced her confusion. "Who?"

"Ah-" He sighed, there was no way he could do this, but he knew he had to somehow. He stood up, and walked to the fire escape window. He climbed on it, and went up to the roof. He didn't want to wake Lian up.

Begrudgingly, Jade followed. Maybe it was an old colleague? She was at a loss, and mostly followed him out because she was worried he had finally lost it, and would soon have to search.

Roy reached the roof, walked around and finally sat on a radiator, hunched over, elbows on his knees.

When Jade reached the top of the stairs, she had half a mind to glue him to the radiator, to make sure he didn't leave. "Do you want to tell me who died, or are you going to make me guess?"

He mumbled something, and then spoke up, looking at her. "Artemis"

Before Roy knew what hit him, he was lying on the ground, his back and his head numb from the force that he crashed into the gravel surface.

"One more time, and you better not be joking around, Red." Jade's face was inches from his, eyes boring into his. She was really not taking this well.

"Artemis...she's dead. She was killed." Roy could barely get the words out. She was straddling him, her hands pinning his arms, her weight causing him difficulty to breathe, and therefore, speak.

"By whom!" Jade's eyes flashed, her expression growing murderous.

"Black Manta's son, Kaldur."

"The jellyfish guy? Wasn't he a good guy? Mild mannered and strangely stiff and formal for his age? You fought alongside him in Taipei."

"Yeah well, he went rogue. Now will you get off me?"

She did get up off him, and without further ado, or another word, she climbed down the fire escape, presumably back to the apartment.

Roy just sat up, dazed. He caught his breath, and finally decided it was time to go down, he heard Lian crying, and thought he should help out at least. As he reached the landing for their flat, Lian still cried. He found it strange, Jade would've already calmed their daughter down, but when he arrived at his daughter's bedroom, only Lian was there, wailing, and squirming in her bed.

"Shhh, it's alright Lian, I'm here."

"Mommy?" Lian looked up at him, baleful eyes wide with worry.

"Mommy got some bad news, she'll be here in the morning, now go to sleep."

"M'kay." The young child went to sleep yeah a yawn, closing her eyes, and curling up to her pillow.

Roy exited the room, closing the door behind him, and leaned against it. He let out a deep sigh, what was going to happen now?

He heard some scuffling coming from the room he shared with Jade, and quietly made his way there. He found his wife shoving clothes and weapons into a duffel bag.

"What-"

"I will not let that asshole get away with killing her." He could barely hear her, but the venom in her voice made him pity Kaldur.

Roy wanted to calm her down, try to reason with her, but her expression, and the way she had knocked him to the ground up on the roof, his skull and back still numb from pain, told him exactly what the response he could expect from her was.

But he still tried. "So what, you're just going to leave? Ditch your child?"

Jade whipped around, and walked up to him, and despite the fact that she was looking up at him, Roy had to admit he was intimidated. "I raised Lian alone while you were gallivanting around the world trying to find your clone, and I can't avenge my sister?"

"That's different-"

"Oh is it? You went to find something important to you, and I'm going to get answers on something I lost, something important to me." She went back to her bag, and finished stuffing it, before zipping it shut and putting the strap over her shoulder, carrying it across her back. "Now, are you going to let me go?"

Roy knew that one way or another, she'd get her way, so he stepped aside, and let her pass out of the room.

==Shadows Hideout

Jade knew that, if the Kaldur kid was affiliated with Black Manta's organization, her best bet was to ask the Shadows, they'd know, and they'd give her some answers, one way or another. She had changed before coming here, donning her Cheshire costume once again, sans the mask, as she didn't feel it was necessary quite yet. The Shadows knew who she was, and feared her, so getting answers would be easy.

"Ah, Cheshire, such a long time. I trust you're not here to catch up." Jade whipped around and saw Sensei, still short and old, wearing his red robe, face scarred.

This wasn't exactly who she was expecting to get answers out of, but he'd do. "You're right, I'm here to get back to work, but I want a change of scenery...it gets boring after a while."

"Oh really?" Sensei smirked. He clearly saw right through her ruse. "You want revenge for your sister's death. Although we are technically allied with them, as long as you do not kill Black Manta, or his son, I will arrange for your ah, change of scenery. Deal?"

Jade was suspicious, to say the least. Getting her way, although it made things easier for her, made all sorts of alarms go off in her head, but she'd play his game, for now.

"You can start tomorrow, I shall get in contact with Black Manta. He's been looking for more recruits, and you wouldn't be the only cat there."

Jade raised one of her eyebrows, not resisting the perfect opportunity for the pun. "Oh really? Amidst a sea of fishes, I'm surprised more of them haven't shown up."

"Tigress is her name-"

The assassin snorted loudly, not even hiding he distaste. "Cheap knock-off I'm sure. Probably as dangerous as a kitten."

"And yet, she's impressed the whole of Black Manta's squad."

"They're probably rusty. I'll just teach them a lesson."

Sensei nodded. "They probably need it." With that, he turned on his heel, and went back to his office, where he would contact Black Manta.

Cheshire went to the training room. She had no desire to sleep, and she hoped that first thing in the morning, she'd be boarding their ship, and going straight to Black Manta's lair, where she'd give Jellyfish boy exactly what he deserved.

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**Yeeeep, that was chapter 1! I'm hoping this will only be a two-shot, but you guys know how my projects end up, just look at How to Date the Girl!**

**Speaking of which, I'm hoping that's the next fic I update, but what I'm hoping now, is to catch up to all the fics I missed, because it's been a good long while since I've actually sat down and just read fics!**

**Anyway, I'd love to know what you guys think of it, and I hope I can update my other fics soon!**

**Hezpeller**


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